Dustproof device for firearms



M. E. JOHNSTON. DUSIPROOF DEVICE FOR FIREARMS.

APPLICATION FHTED APR. II, I917.

1,365,592. @Pat'gnted. Jan. 11,1921.

, 5 w A giro 1 '5 11611 g I I 2' 7 'm. lilhdmmw m 6 INVENTOR. M LLTON E1dUHN-STON BY mwm I] 7 r A TTORNEY.

' a citizen of the United-States, residing at Utica,in the'county ofOneida and Stateof 7 the .art to which it .appertains to make and UNITEDSTATES arsur QFEIQE.

MILTON E. JOHNSTON, OF UTICA, NEW YORK.

' DUSTPROOF DEVICE FOR FIREARMS.

Application filed April 11, 1917. Serial No. 161,302.

T 0 all'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILTON E. J OHNSTON,

New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDustproofDevices for Firearms, of which the following is. a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates'to a dust proof device for firearms, and I declarethe following to be a full, clear, concise, and exact descriptionthereof sufiicient .to enable anyone skilled in use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which like referencecharacters refer to like parts throughout the specification.

In the construction of most guns, themechanism isprovided with .a longnarrow slot adapted for the actuation of the arm that reaches into theinterior thereof for moving manually the breech loading mechanism.

This slot .leaves anopening for the entrance of sand and other particlesof dust which accumulate on the mechanism and in the end impede theworking of the parts of the gun.

The object of this invention is to produce a device that will close thisopening and yet permit of the actuation of the arm that' moves thebreech loading mechanism. The object will be understood by referring tothe drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fragment of a firearm, showingthedevice attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the casing employed;

' Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a part of a firearm, showing the devicein section attached thereto; 7

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of a modified form of the device:

Fig. 5 is a perspective detail View of a block or member employed;

Fig. 6' is a perspective detail view of a handle employed.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken on the line 7- 7 of Fig.1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the invention is applied toa firearm or machine'gun such as illustrated in the application of JamesS. Johnston, filed April 3, 1917, numbered serially 159,533 and embodiesa casing 1 having an upper lateral projecting member 2, that is formedin- Specification of Letterslatent. Patented J an, 11, 1921,

lower lateral projections 33, likewise formed. At either end of thecasing 1, there is mounted a roller 4 upon a screw bolt 5. The inner endof thebolt 5.is threaded to be received into a correspondingly threadedaperture made in the side of the casing 6 of the firearm, whereby tohold the device in assembled position to said firearm.

A' metallic belt 7 is mounted to move over the rollers 4 and above theprojecting member 2 and below the projections 3. The ends of the belt 7are secured to the opposite edges of the block or memberv 8, which .hasa cen tral aperture 9 for the reception of the end The handle 10 isbent, furthermore, at an angle, as at 15, to form a member adapted to:be projected through the aperture 9 of the block Stoengagecerta'inparts for pulling back, into cocked position, the breech bolt. Saidhandle 10 is bent also at 16 to make a hand grip.

In operation, the handle 10 is pulled to the rear to reload and cook thefirearm. As the handle 10 is actuated to the rear, the same will beprevented from binding by the block 8 through which the end of saidhandle projects. The metallic belt 7 will move; also in unison with theblock 8 to which it is attached to thereby cover the opening at thebottom of the casing 1, so as to prevent the admission of dust to theinterior parts of the firearm.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modification embodying. a casing 20 which forms,when secured to'the side of the casing 6 of the gun, a chamber 21. Thechamber 21 is open along the top portion for the disposition within saidchamber-21 of a shutter 22 adapted to cover the longitudinal recess 23formed in the gun, for the passage of the inner end of the handle 10.The leaf springs 2424: are made integral with the lower edge of theshutter 22 by cutting the narrow strips therein and bending the samedown, as illustrated in Fig. 4. A tapering recess 25 is made in theshutter 22 for the disposition of the inner end of the handle 10,whereby the shutter 22 will lie normally opposite the longitudinal slot23, in the casing 6 of the firearm. When the handle 10 is pulled back toreload and cock the gun, the same will depress the shutter 22 againstthe tension of the springs 24.- The depression will givea rocking motionto the shutter 22, so that part of the said shutter Will be available toclose a part of the longitudinal slot 23 of the gun, at all times.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a firearm having a longitudinally movable breech bolt, theoperating handle of which projects through and works in a slot in theframe, a casing mounted on said firearm adjacent said slot, and meansmounted in said casing for preventing the admission of dust to theinterior parts of the firearm. i

2. In a firearm having a longitudinally movable breech bolt, theoperating handle of which projects through, and works in a slot in theframe, a casing having a lateral pro jecting member mounted on saidfirearm adjacent said slot, and means mounted in said casing forpreventing the admission of dust to the interior parts of the firearm.'

3. In a firearm having a longitudinally movable breech bolt, theoperating handle of which projects through, and works in a slot in theframe, a casing having alateral projecting member mounted on saidfirearm adjacent said slot, and movable means mounted in said casing forpreventing the admission of dust to the interior parts of the firearm.

4. In a firearm havinga longitudinally movable breech bolt, theoperating handle of which projects through, and works in a slot in theframe, a casing mounted on said firearm ad acent said slot, a beltmounted in said casing tor preventlng the admission of dust to theinterior parts of the firearm,

erating handle.

6.111 a firearm having a longitudinally movable breech bolt, theoperating handle of which projects through, and works in a slot in theframe, a casing mounted on said firearm adjacent said slot, rollerssupported in said casing, and a belt adapted to travel over saidrollers, whereby to prevent the admission of dust to the interior partsof the firearm.

In testimony whereof I have aflix'ed'my signature.

MILTON E. JOHNSTON.

